


Kokoromeo

by Taraxacum_officinale



Category: BanG Dream! Girl's Band Party! (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Inspired by Music
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 14:36:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18054365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Taraxacum_officinale/pseuds/Taraxacum_officinale
Summary: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet."A little fic vaguely inspired by the song Romeo,  and partially by the original play from the great bard. Featuring princess Michelle and her identity struggle.





	Kokoromeo

**Author's Note:**

> A Christmas present for a friend. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this one shot! ^^

Scene I

Misaki felt incredibly stiff standing by the doors to the ballroom. She had never felt truly comfortable in frilly dresses and sparkling accessories. In fact, if it was left up to her decision, she wouldn't have attended the ball in the first place. She would much rather stay home reading or sewing...

Yet here she was, dressed in a long sky blue gown that was sure to attract attention, and forced to be someone else for the night. The moment she stepped inside that ballroom, she would no longer be Misaki. Instead, she'd be playing the part of princess Michelle. That was her public persona—very few people in the kingdom knew “Misaki”, her birth name.

The amount of makeup that her maids had caked on her in the hour before certainly made her feel like a different person… but she wondered if she could ever really become the presentable lady that everyone expected her to be.

She hesitated a bit before slipping through the doors. After all, who knew what could happen in the span of a few hours?

She took a deep breath and decided to stick to walls as much as possible. Even if it was difficult, it was only one night. Then she could go back to being Misaki—back to being comfortable and free.

The hall was filled guests, most of whom she didn't recognize. They must have come from the neighboring countries, likely to conduct business. Most of them were middle-aged men and women, with some younger faces scattered around. In one corner, though, she caught sight of someone who stood out from the crowd-a girl with golden hair, chatting happily with a maid. Strange, Misaki thought, but she moved onward.

The glittering light from chandeliers nearly blinded her, but in the distance she spotted the buffet table. An acceptable distraction! Misaki smiled slightly and lifted her skirt, taking small, quick steps in the direction of the table.

A few awkward greetings and stiff curtsies later, she finally had a plate in her hand and a variety of dishes before her. So far, everything was going smoothly. She looked over the selection carefully, pondering whether to try the salmon or salad first. But just as she reached out to take a roll, she collided with a nearby waitstaff carrying drinks.

Cider splashed through the air and onto the clothes of a certain guest.

“Sorry…!” Misaki was embarrassed at her sudden clumsiness, and blurted out an apology.

Instead of an upset face, though, she was met with a beaming smile and words of forgiveness.

“Don’t sweat it! I can always get it cleaned later.”

It was that girl she had noticed earlier—the one with the long golden hair. Her sparkling eyes were of the same color, and she was dressed to the nines in a white and red coat. In general, there was a princely air about her. And she certainly might’ve been of that status-Misaki had her suspicions, simply by how expensive the girl's outfit seemed.

“Oh, I should introduce myself,” said the girl. “My name's Kokoro Tsurumaki. It's a pleasure to meet you!” As she said this, Kokoro put one arm behind her back and bowed.

“Ah, nice to meet you,” said Misaki. Remembering her manners, she curtsied in response to Kokoro's bow.  She wasn't quite sure why, but she felt a bit flustered in front of this person. Perhaps it was those golden eyes, which she found herself getting lost in…

She straightened her posture. “My name is Michelle Okusawa,” she said, taking care to use her official title. She was meeting with a complete stranger, after all.

“Michelle...” Kokoro curled a finger toward her chin, thinking, then smiled. “Oh, you must be the beautiful princess I've heard so much about.”

“Yes, that's correct….” Misaki blushed deeply. The role of princess was one that she had a difficult time acknowledging, but the title followed her wherever she went. There was no escaping it... More importantly, though—

Did she just call me beautiful? Misaki somehow felt even more flustered than before, but deep inside she felt a bit happy to be complimented by this girl. For the moment, though, she hid her emotions and attempted to continue the conversation.

“Um... excuse me for asking, but are you—”

Just as she about to inquire about the girl’s background, however, she was interrupted by the sounds of violins beginning to play.

Kokoro clasped her hands and grinned, visibly delighted by the onset of music.

“Ah, the orchestra's begun!” She turned to Misaki and looked into her eyes. “Would the princess care to dance?”

It was a sudden question. Kokoro outstretched her hand, waiting for the response.

Misaki felt conflicted. She glanced longingly back at the buffet table, but in the end put down her plate and took Kokoro's hand. Dinner can wait a little… she thought.

“Alright. I accept,” She said, putting on a smile. She felt a bit shy to dance with someone she had just met, but this girl seemed nice enough…

“Yay! Let's go over there then!” Kokoro laughed and lead Misaki toward the windows that revealed a starry night sky.

And so began the waltz. All those dance lessons finally seemed worthwhile as the two girls stepped in time to the string bass. It wasn’t so difficult to not step on your partner’s shoes after all, Misaki realized.

The music gradually heightened, with cellos lending richness to the sound and flutes producing a complex melody. Misaki’s heart fluttered as she twirled around the ballroom with Kokoro. Her wall of ice was slowly being melted by the other girl’s warmth. Little by little, her arms relaxed around Kokoro’s shoulders, and she let herself simply enjoy the moment.

 

Scene II

“O Romeo, Romeo... wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; or, if thou wilt not….ugh.”

Misaki sighed, and for the fifth time that day set her reading aside. She couldn’t help it; her mind was so muddled with the memories of the night before that it was nearly impossible to concentrate.

She pushed aside a lock of her dark hair and gazed at the scenery surrounding her. At the moment she sat on a bench in the palace garden, neatly lined by azalea bushes. It was summer, and everything was blooming in pink and gold and blue. A light breeze swept through the grounds, making it somewhat comfortable even in July.

Either way, it was too nice of a day to shut oneself indoors and study. Which is why she decided spend it in the garden, studying.

But that plan had failed. She plucked a flower from the bush beside her and furrowed her brows, thinking.

In the present, the night of the ball seemed like a vivid dream. Many of the details were blurry in Misaki’s memory, but she remembered generally how the evening progressed, and how she felt throughout it.

After the first waltz ended, she and Kokoro had ended up going to the balcony outside together, and somehow talked until the moon was high above them. Well, it was mostly Kokoro doing the talking; Misaki was simply happy to be out of the crowded room, and thought it would be interesting to listen to this strange girl's stories.

In the end, she learned a lot about Kokoro: that her family ran a very successful trading business (hence the princely clothes), that she was the only daughter of said family, that she could do a backflip, that she liked bears…

Most importantly, though, she learned that Kokoro was just a really fun person to be around. She was like a ray of sunshine in an otherwise gray sky...

It was clear now, that something had sparked within Misaki that night. She had never felt her heart flutter so much before. It was just like all those sappy romance novels she sometimes read to pass time, except now she felt like one of the love-struck heroines. Before, they had all seemed so ridiculous, but perhaps there was some truth in their descriptions of love...

Was it really love, though? Probably not. But it was an exciting feeling nonetheless. In any case, Misaki felt like she should be happy about this new person in her life, a person who brought her joy. But instead, she found herself feeling anxious about the whole matter.

Because the girl she had met last night didn’t know the real Misaki. Kokoro had danced and laughed under the stars with a princess named Michelle. If they met again, Misaki wondered, would Kokoro still enjoy her company—the company of a boring girl who hated parties, and dreaded wearing makeup? She would be disappointed, wouldn’t she?

Perhaps Kokoro wouldn’t even recognize her as the same person.

The flower, petals now crumpled, fell to the ground; and Misaki brought her hands to her lap, dejected.

"I’m tired of keeping secrets…"

Just as she began feeling depressed, however, a butler came by carrying a small flat object, and placed it beside her on the bench.

“A letter just arrived in your name, miss,” He said.

“Oh, thank you,” Misaki replied, as the butler took his leave. She had a pretty good idea of who it was from; she didn't have many friends, after all.

Misaki had completely forgotten until now, but she and Kokoro had agreed to keep in touch after the ball ended. Still, it was a bit surprising to receive a letter the very next day.

Carefully, so as not to tear anything, she opened the letter. Inside she found a pink piece of paper covered in Kokoro's bubbly handwriting. Adorning the margins were messy drawings of… were those bears? They were wearing costumes, one like a prince and the other like a princess, and seemingly reenacting scenes from fairy tales. Filling the gaps between them were big, flashy roses.

Misaki almost laughed at the childish scribbles. It was kind of cute, and definitely like Kokoro to send a letter like this. She wondered what exactly her intentions were, but perhaps she was just being playful.  At the very least, Misaki found it endearing.

At last, she decided read what Kokoro had to say.

"Dear Michelle-chan,

Hi again! Last night was really really fun. I had a spectacular time! Even though you don't talk much, you're an amazing dancer!! But I guess that's to be expected of a princess, hehe."

“Even though I don't talk much… ahaha, I guess that's true...” Misaki chuckled softly, and continued reading.

"Anyway, I definitely think we should meet again! If it's alright, I'll come by around nine tonight. I’ll be under the balcony where we talked yesterday. Oh yeah, I have a surprise for you, too—so you can look forward to it! ☆"

Misaki took note of the place and time. It seemed that Kokoro had shown consideration for the other girl's reserved nature, in choosing such a convenient location.

"By the way, since we're friends now—"

 

“We’re… friends, huh? Well, nothing wrong with that...” Misaki said, blushing. She felt like confirming the words by saying them herself. It still felt a bit surreal.

"—I thought I should ask, can I call you Misaki-chan?"

"…!"

Misaki’s heart skipped a beat, and she glanced around quickly, to make sure no one was watching.

"She knows my real name? How in the world…"

Naturally, she was shocked, but it maybe it wasn't such a bad thing in the end. If Kokoro knew the real Misaki, perhaps there was hope for an honest relationship after all... And recognizing her name was a start.

Still, Misaki was amazed at Kokoro's ability to gather information. She kept reading, curious about her methods.

"I was talking to some of the maids after the party, and heard that your name isn't actually “Michelle”! I was kinda surprised, because it seems like everyone calls you that. But if your name is actually Misaki, then that's what I want to call you. Please let me know if it's okay!

Yours truly,

Kokoro☆"

A smiling face that resembled Kokoro was doodled next to the last line.

Ah, so it was the maids… well, I suppose they would know my name, working at the palace and all.

Misaki sighed again, but this time she didn’t feel so discouraged. Receiving the letter had made her feel relieved, and more sure of her own feelings.

There was also a chance that Kokoro felt the same way, if she was taking the time to arrange a meeting. That alone gave her hope. The anxiety was still there, but for the moment, it was muted.

She took a pen from her skirt pocket and flipped the paper over to write her response. It was best to answer as soon possible, if  they were to meet that same day.

"Dear Kokoro-san,

Thank you for your letter. I’ll meet you tonight at the time and place you mentioned.

I was a bit surprised that you found out my true name, but if you wish to call me by that, I don’t mind.

Regards,

Okusawa Misaki"

For a moment, she questioned if it was too formal of a letter, but decided not to overthink it. She promptly left the garden and went to have it delivered.

Meanwhile, the sunlight fell upon her book, still lying on the bench, and open to the page she had left it at.

 

Scene III

That night, Misaki stepped out onto the balcony at the appointed time. Her heart felt stuffy for some reason, like the air in her room. Was it lovesickness? Or just the heat of July making her restless? She couldn’t quite tell herself.

Maybe it was Kokoro’s fault that she couldn't relax. If they had never met, then she wouldn’t have had to deal with all that anxiety and confusion...

No—it was silly to blame it on Kokoro. She hadn’t done anything wrong. It wasn’t like Misaki chose to feel this way, either. It just happened.

For the time being, all she could do was accept the situation, and wait patiently for the story to continue.

She stayed outside and waited, watching the stars. Crickets chirped. Five minutes passed, then ten. She heard the clock tower toll for the quarter hour, and began to feel impatient.

Maybe she’s not coming after all... did she forget?

Misaki slumped against the railing and sighed. But at that moment, she heard a familiar voice call out from below.

“Misaki-chan!”

She lifted her head to look down. Kokoro was standing there, as promised, dressed in her signature red and white coat. For some reason, there were leaves in her hair. She was holding something, too—the “surprise”, Misaki concluded—a big bouquet of pink roses.

On the ground nearby, there was a long wooden ladder. She wondered how Kokoro had managed to bring it all this way. The work of invisible servants, perhaps?

“Thanks for waiting!” Said Kokoro, waving. “It took me a little while to find the path... I ending up having an adventure in the forest back there, hehe.”

Well, that explains the leaves, I suppose…  Misaki thought. Kokoro was still something of a mystery to her.

“No worries—I didn’t have to wait very long,” Misaki called back. Her negative thoughts had faded into the background now, and were replaced by that fluttery feeling from before.

“Now I just need to set this up so you can come down here too,” Kokoro said, dragging the ladder towards the balcony and beginning to prop it up.

Misaki hadn’t anticipated this kind of scene; but looking back on it, it was pretty obvious that this was what Kokoro had in mind when they had agreed to meet up. After all, it would’ve been difficult for them to talk if Misaki had to yell down to Kokoro the entire time.

The balcony was fairly high above the ground—about fifteen feet maybe—but the ladder managed to reach the base of it.

“Alright, I’ve got it! You should be able climb down now, I think,” Kokoro said as she stepped away from the ladder, and picked up the bouquet again.

“Okay,” Misaki replied, and carefully swung her feet over the balcony railing.

She hesitated slightly before descending. She felt uneasy for some reason, but dismissed it as simple nerves, and took a step.

The ladder rung snapped under her feet, and she tumbled backwards.

“...!”

It happened in a flash. Kokoro dropped the bouquet and opened her arms to catch the falling Misaki. Then they were both on the ground, with a breathless Misaki on top of a surprised Kokoro.

“Ahh! I’m sorry…!” Said Misaki, quickly moving away. She sat up and stared at her hands in her lap, unable to make eye contact with Kokoro. It was all too embarrassing.

“I guess that ladder was getting old… Sorry about about that,” Kokoro said, brushing the dirt off her clothes. “But anyway, it’s a good thing the grass here is so soft! It really broke the fall.” Even at a time like this, she could smile say such lighthearted things.

Hearing Kokoro’s cheerful voice, Misaki felt like laughing and crying at the same time. But in the end, the tears slipped out first. She was relieved that neither of them had gotten hurt...

But of course, the other girl was concerned.

“Don’t cry…! Everything’s alright now. You’re safe.” Kokoro held Misaki's hands and looked into her eyes.

I know… thought Misaki, but the words weren’t coming out properly. Her throat felt choked from the tears. She just gripped Kokoro’s hands tightly.

For a moment, they sat facing each other in silence. At last, Misaki was able to look at Kokoro’s face without dying inside.

Once again, she found herself getting lost in those golden eyes. The distance between the two of them was closing, and in the moment, she felt unusually warm.

“Kokoro…Thank you….I…I’m—” I’m so glad I met you, she wanted to say.

“I'm glad I met you too.” Said Kokoro.

Did you just read my mind?!  Really?  Misaki was taken aback, but at last she laughed. It was soft, girlish laugh that she was surprised to hear coming from herself.

“Who do you like better though, Misaki or Michelle?” Misaki asked. It was a serious question, and something she had been pondering since earlier that day.

“Hmm…” Kokoro thought for a moment. “Well, Michelle is really nice and all, but I think I want to get to know Misaki better.”

Misaki felt satisfied with that answer, and smiled.

“I never imagined something like this would happen,” She ended up saying. It was the truth.

“Me neither,” Said Kokoro. “But it’s the unexpected things that make life so fun.”

“Yeah,” Misaki agreed. Meeting Kokoro was the craziest thing that had ever happened to her, but also the best turn of events. She felt like Kokoro still had many wonderful things to show her.

“Hey, why don't you come back to my house? I can make you some hot chocolate!”

Hot chocolate in summer? Once again, Misaki couldn't help but smile. It was so random; but that was just how Kokoro's mind worked.

“Alright, sounds like a plan. Let's be off, then.”

Just like that, the two walked away from the balcony, and the stage lights grew dim.


End file.
